JV Lacrosse Is a Go for Montgomery

Montgomery County all but officially approved the addition of junior varsity lacrosse for next spring as part of last week's agreement on a $1.98 billion Board of Education budget.

Board member Patricia O'Neill said there is a "100 percent" chance JV lacrosse will be offered as part of next spring's extracurricular activities, something coaches and administrators have long sought to put the county on equal footing with other areas.

Duke Beattie, Montgomery County athletic director, said JV lacrosse will cost an estimated $250,000-$300,000. The county has agreed to raise student parking costs by $12 per semester and to boost the activities fee by $10 to help offset the costs.

Those measures alone should cover the costs, O'Neill said, although final budgetary approval is expected June 12.

"I feel very optimistic about it," Beattie said.

Jefferson Unrattled

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After a frightening head-on collision on the open water in a practice session and a bout with food poisoning waged by one of its top rowers in the days leading up to the Scholastic Rowing Association of America's national championships, it would have been understandable if the Jefferson boys' varsity eight had been somewhat rattled heading into its last race in the United States this weekend.

But the Colonials weren't. They won the marquee race of the season to date on Saturday on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J., finishing in 4 minutes 20 seconds to secure the team's third national title. Jefferson edged Winter Park (Fla.), which finished in 4:22.22.

"If success is purely based on results, I'd certainly say this was the best season for men's varsity eight that we've ever had," Jefferson Coach Jim Granger said.

Jefferson did not lose a race this season, counting time trials and preliminary heats. They also won the Virginia state championship and the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. They prevailed this weekend despite a nasty collision with Gloucester on the open water in practice, and with oarsman Tom Della Fera developing food poisoning.

Jefferson will now prepare for July's Henley Royal Regatta in England.

Also at the national championships, Jefferson's girls' second eight and Woodbridge's girls' junior double each won their events.